Tent structure



May 17, 1966 D. TANNER 3,251,370

TENT STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 27, 1964 IN VEN TOR. LEE D. NE R ATTORNEY I terior space of the tent.

height as well as expandable in floor area.

United States Patent 3,251,370 TENT STRUCTURE Lee D. Tanner, Rte. 4, Box 201C, Hood River, Oreg. 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 340,398

1 Claim. (Cl. 135-'-1) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tent structures.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a tent structure which is collapsible to a small, convenient, carrying size. I

Another object is to provide a tent structure which is easily set up and taken down.

Still another object is to provide a tent structure which is adjustable in height and in floor area to vary the in- Another object of the present invention is to provide a tepee-type tent having a novel top or peak structure.

Briefly stated, the present invention is embodied in a tent structure which is arranged to form a tepee-type tent and which employs a plurality of supporting posts connected pivotally at their upper end to a peak ring. Each of the posts comprises a telescoping structure facilitating height adjustment of the tent. Thus, by means of the pivoted connection of the posts at their upper end and the telescoping structure thereof, the tent is adjustable in The invention will be better understood and additional objects will become apparent from the following specification and claim, considered together with the accompanying drawing, wherein the numerals of reference indicate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevational view, partly broken away, of a tent embodying principles ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1 and illustrating in particular the structure of the tent at the peak ring;

FIG. 3 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 3- -3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken adjacent a supporting post of the tent.

Referring in particular to the drawings, and as seen in FIG. 1, the present invention is concerned with a tepeetype tent, or in other words a tent which is flared at the bottom and terminates at its upper end in a peak to assume a cone shape. The supporting means forthe tent comprise posts or standards 10 composed of upper and lower telescoping sections 12 and 14, respectively. Sections 14 have set screws 16 threadedly mounted therein for clamping section 12 in any desirable set position. Any number of posts 10 may be used in the structure, preferably from three to five.

The upper end of the posts 10, and more particularly the sections 12, are pivotally connected to a first peak ring 18. For this purpose the upper ends of sections 12 have eyes or loops 20 which are fastened on said ring in a free sliding pivotal connection. This connection of the eyes '20 with the ring permits free pivotal movement of the posts 10 relative to the ring 18 and furthermore permits slidably adjusting movement therearound.

Also pivotally attached to the ring 18 are connectors 22 connected at their outer ends to a second peak ring 23 secured to the upper end of a tent cover 24 of a specific v pattern whereby to form a tepee tent when supported by "ice the posts 10. Tent cover 24 has a suitable front opening 26 which may be zippered if desired.

Also connected to the peak ring 18 are tie lines 28 which may be used to anchor the tent in a fixed position, although it is to be understood that such lines may be omitted and stakes utilized at the lower end of posts 10 for the purpose of anchoring the latter.

' In the structure thus far described the tent cover 24 is suspended from the ring 18 which in turn is supported on the posts 10. The upper end of the tent cover has suitable apertures 30 for the purpose of attaching connectors 22 to the ring 23, The top'of the tent is covered and made rainproof by means of a suitable hood 32, shown in FIG. 1, anchored in place by tie lines 34 secured by any suitable means to an anchor point such as stakes in the ground.

-As best apparent in FIG. 3, the ring 18 is adapted to receive a stove pipe 36, shown in broken lines. In this case, there is utilized, instead of the flexible hood 32, a rigid hood member 38 also shown in broken lines. Thus, where a stove is set up in the tent the stove pipe 36 and hood 38 may be used, or when a stove is not utilized in the tent the hood 32 may be utilized.

As seen in FIG. 4 the inner surface of the tent cover 24 is provided with integral loops 40 for receiving the posts 10 in order that the cover will not shift relative to the tent frame. This may be desirable in areas having strong winds, or for other reasons.

Since the posts 10 comprise telescoping members and since such posts are pivotal relative to each other, a versatile tent is provided. That is, the posts may be lengthened or shortened as desired to conform to the contour of the ground in setting up the tent and of course may be shortened or lengthened to provide the tent of a desired height. If a large floor space is desired the posts are merely spread out. On the other hand, where it is desired to reduce the tent to a small size, such as to form a pup tent, the posts are shortened the desired amount. Where the tent is thus reduced in height the surplus cover portion may merely be gathered at the bottom of the tent or preferably it may be folded upwardly and inwardly along the posts 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4, such upwardly folded portion being designated by the reference numeral The posts need not be uniformly spaced in their set-up position, since it may be desirable to space them at random according to the contour of the ground at the site.

Where said legs are randomly spaced the loops 40 cannot be used.

' It is to be understood that the form ofmy invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that variou changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A tepee-type tent structure comprising a first peak ring the inner open area of which forms an upper outlet opening, a plurality 'of supporting posts having eye means at .their upper ends connected to said first peak ring, said eye means being pivotally and slidably connected to said first peak ring whereby said posts are arranged to have rotative adjustable movement on said ring as well as slidable adjustable movement thereon, said supporting posts being constructed of telescoping sections for vary- 3 4 ing the length thereof, a second peak ring of larger 1,249,883 12/ 1917 Baldwin 135--10 diameter than said first peak ring, radially extending con- 1,649,324 11/ 1927 Raber 1351 necting means connecting said first and second peak rings 1,773,395 8/ 1930 Garrett 135-4 together in substantially the same plane, and a tent cover 2,466,496 4/ 1949 Smith 1351 secured to said second peak ring and being disposed 5 2,601,865 7/1952 Campbell 13514 around the outside of said posts, said posts being arranged 1,278,362 10/ 1961 France. to be adjusted in length and to be selectively angled out- FOREIGN PATENTS wardly from said second peak ring to hold said cover in a desired tent shape. 1,278,362 10/1961 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

References Cited by the Examiner 1 UNIT STATES PATENTS REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner.

379,274 3/1888 Hamilton 1351 L. I. SANTISI, Assistant Examiner. 

